Plasma galectin-3 predicts clinical outcomes after catheter ablation in persistent atrial fibrillation patients without structural heart disease.

Aims: This study sought to explore the relationship between plasma galectin-3 (Gal-3) and persistent atrial fibrillation (PsAF), and investigate whether Gal-3 predicts clinical outcomes in patients with PsAF undergoing catheter ablation.

Methods: Fifty consecutive PsAF patients without coexisting structural heart disease undergoing first-time catheter ablation and 46 healthy controls were included. Blood samples were collected on admission for analysis of plasma Gal-3.

Pouched mitral isthmus is associated with incomplete linear block in atrial fibrillation patients with mechanical mitral valve replacement.

Background: Previous studies have described the impact of mitral isthmus (MI) anatomy on the likelihood of achieving MI linear block in patients with native mitral valves (NMV) who underwent atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. However, none have investigated that issue in AF patients with mechanical mitral valve replacements (MMVR).

Methods And Results: Twenty-nine consecutive patients who developed symptomatic persistent AF post-MMVR and referred for ablation were enrolled.